The University of Cádiz has announced a new edition of its Summer Courses, which will include a program titled 'Carnival, when sexism disguises itself as humor'. This event, taking place at the Edificio Constitución 1812 from July 1st to 3rd, aims to examine the various ways sexism manifests within the festival.

Coordinated by professor Alberto Ramos Santana, the course will address objectives such as analyzing manifestations of transvestism in traditional and contemporary masks and costumes. It will also review examples of the use of the female body in the carnival imaginary and discuss how sexism can be presented under the guise of humorous expression.

Historically, Carnival has been a space for liberation, but it has also been a stage for transvestism and prohibitions on such practices. Male hegemony has led to the objectification of women, either as objects of eroticization or as targets of hurtful criticism, often justified by the satirical and humorous nature inherent to the festival. The course will question the extent to which this use of jokes constitutes sexism.

The program will unfold over three days. The first will feature lectures on transvestism and gender in traditional carnival masks and on homosexuality and homophobia in the Cádiz Carnival. The second day will address prohibitions on cross-dressing and the representation of female characters in songs. Finally, the third day will focus on the use of the female body and masculinities in Carnival, culminating in a round table discussion on humor, power, and feminism.